Cochran Family Letters
contributed by Melinda Unruh, January, 1999
Levi Cochran to Margaret Cochran Bryant
Lewisburg, June 1, 1879
Dear Daughter and Family,
I desire to rite you a few lines to let you know of my helth. I am not well at presant nor haint been for some time. I am sick in body and strength. My hands are so weak that I hardly hold a pen to rite at all. Hoping these few lines may find you all well when you receive them. The helth of our country are not good nor haint been for some time. A good deal of sickness and some death. S. L. Davis wife is dead and child Steward Cochran is dead. Dr. T. I. Kennedy is dead. John Smith’s wife is dead and some others in the country.
Sis Moor is in bad helth. She is sick at this time confined to her bed. All the rest of the connection are well as far as I know of at this time. I have nothing of grate importance to rite to you at present. Times hard on account of money matters. Provision low, wheat $1.00, corn 40 cts, flour $3.00, good coffee 5# to the dollar, sugar 8# to the dollar. We have had a cold and wet winter past, our wheat looks bad for the time of the year, we had frost the 2nd day of May. We are dry and needing rain at this time. The ground are so dry that corn can’t get up, everything in the ground needs rain.
Now I should like you to rite to me as soon as this comes to your hand and tell me all the news that you know of and how you are getting along in this world and if you ever hear from Lisar and family. I should like to see you all in this life, but my helth and strength will not purmit me to handle the trip at this time. So I will close for the presant. Rite soon if you can, so
fair well for the presant.
Emma Leeb Cochran to Maggie Cochran Bryant
(Emma was the daughter of Margaret’s brother Levi N. Cochran)
July 12th 1884
Cochran Mills, Tenn.
Mrs. Maggie Bryant
Dear Aunt,
I received your letter one week ago and was glad to hear from you all – but sorry to hear you was not well. This leaves us all I am thankful to say. I am as well as can be. Mother still complaining with her arms and thumbs.
Children all well. Aunt tell Grandpa I received a letter from him this evening, was glad to hear he was well for I felt so uneasy about him, this warm weather, but it has been raining for 2 weeks most of the time. Wheat is damaged badly, ours is not threshed yet and only sell at 75 cts, corn looks fine only hard winds blown it down, no rosen ears yet, fine gardens. Aunt, all the time seems lonely to me but it seems like Saturday and Sunday is the worst. Aunt, this is a trying time on all of us. There has already been things passed I never had any idea I ever could see, but alas my troubles are coming, things I never thought of, but I am trying to bear them the best I can, but sometime they overpower me in spite of all I can do and then I wander off to my self and let tears relieve me. Oh aunt, they all tell me not to do so, could I have you, who have gone over this road to talk with. It would be so much comfort to me. I have lost my dearest friend. I often think what will become of my children if I was taken from them. Then I think God will provide for them. I think who would take them. They had a kind Father, oh how we miss him. I can’t tell you how, but I am doing all in my power to raise them right. I have been to church today, Brother Brown took his testimony from 22nd Chapter and 42 verse of Luke, he preach a good talk but it is hard to say “thy will be done” but we have to submit the best we can.
Tell Grandpapa Mother says to tell her all about how is and when he is coming.
Tell him to take good care of himself and if he begins to fail to start for home. You and him go to see Lizzie and Mat, Avalon is their post office.
Some of you come home with him. Gally Morris was buried today at Wilson Cochrans. Today I seen Joe and Willie Johnson, all well there. Mother says tell you and Aunt Eliza, Aunt Mary and yourself she would be glad to be with you, but she fears she never can any more, says tell you all to write. Tell Grandpa Josia and Tom has a baby, a boy 17 months old, but can’t walk. He went to Nashville to the poor house after it – they are very much please you know what comes up with me, that is, no harm comes out. I thought they were shouldering more that I could, not to be any kin to me, this is their business. Worth Rossen is able to sit up some, the health of the neighborhood is generally good. My children all join me in sending love to Grandpa, all 3 Aunts and children. Everyone write soon and tell me all the news.
Emma